A Gathering Of Stones

COME THE GENIOD

THEY-

(plural in the limited sense that there were many discrete units and in the fuzzier sense that there were a number of agglomerations of these units with varying degrees of self-awareness)

THEY-

were hunger and desire in a self-created void. They were fierce with life but already beginning to die, turning in a frenzy on each other, the stronger devouring stray units and smaller agglomerations. They had been too greedy here, had eaten life with an appetite never satisfied, breeding and breeding, splitting and joining until the reality they occupied was filled with them, the geniod, a name they’d swallowed with some long-forgotten life-form and adopted along with the knowledge of NAMING.

THEY-

knew despair as their numbers dwindled.

A LIGHT appeared in the darkness, a pinpoint, then a fire.

THEY-

drew back, frightened; density increased, desire rose and drowned fear.

A VOICE called: COME AND FEED.

THEY-

hesitated. They had been stung before, their units, their ogienowad, were trapped and consumed by the creatures they were grazing on, food rebelling against its destined role.

The LIGHT expanded to a shimmering oval.

IT screamed: LIFE! ENERGY! COME AND TAKE.

THEY-

milled about a second longer, then the largest geniod leapt for the GATE and swept through it, the rest swept along behind it, exploding into a new reality-dropping into a forceweb that closed around them, the trap they’d feared.

I HAVE A BARGAIN FOR YOU, GENIOD: AGREE AND LIVE: REFUSE AND DIE.

We agree. We agree. We agree.

What do you want?

We serve better when we work for ourselves as well. What do you want?

LISTEN.

We hear. We hear. We hear.

ASSEMBLE. COLLECT. DELIVER